Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-nr4z6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-03T06:13:29.951Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Villus height and gut development in weaned piglets receiving diets containing either glucose, lactose or starch

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2007

M. A. M. Vente-Spreeuwenberg ,
J. M. A. J. Verdonk ,
M. W. A. Verstegen  and
A. C. Beynen
M. A. M. Vente-Spreeuwenberg*
Affiliation:
Swine Research Centre, Nutreco, PO Box 240, 5830 AE Boxmeer, The Netherlands
J. M. A. J. Verdonk
Affiliation:
ID TNO Animal Nutrition, PO Box 65, 8200 AB Lelystad, The Netherlands
M. W. A. Verstegen
Affiliation:
Division of Animal Nutrition, Department of Animal Sciences, University of Wageningen, Wageningen, PO Box 338, 6700 AH Wageningen, The Netherlands
A. C. Beynen
Affiliation:
Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, PO Box 80.152, 3508 TD Utrecht, The Netherlands
*
*Corresponding author: Dr M. A. M. Vente-Spreeuwenberg, fax +31 485 577311, email mirjam.vente@nutreco.com
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

The present study was designed to evaluate the differential effects of dietary glucose, lactose and starch on small-intestinal morphology, organ weights, pH of chyme and haptoglobin levels in blood plasma of weaned piglets. It was hypothesised that lactose consumption would ameliorate the weaning-induced decrease in gut integrity. A total of forty-two barrows were used. Piglets were weaned at 27 (sd 0·8) d of age and weighed 8·0 (sd 0·51) kg. On the day before weaning (day −1) all pigs were blocked according to body weight and randomly assigned to seven groups (n 6 per group). The groups differed in diet and day of dissection. On the day of weaning, dissection was performed on one group of six piglets. The remaining groups were fed one of three experimental diets in which glucose, lactose or starch had been iso-energetically exchanged, supplying 24% dietary energy. The piglets received a liquid diet (air-dry meal:water of 1:2, w/w). The piglets were given access to a maximum of dietary energy in order to prevent confounding between feed intake and villus architecture. The piglets were dissected and sampled on days 0, 3, or 10 post-weaning. The results show that the carbohydrate source did not affect growth performance, organ weights, villus architecture, pH of chyme and plasma haptoglobin level. The weaning transition resulted in decreased villus height and increased haptoglobin levels. In the contents of the caecum and large intestine, the pH decreased after weaning. It is concluded that at least under conditions of similar feed intake and low infectious pressure, dietary lactose does not ameliorate the weaning-induced compromise of small-intestinal integrity when compared with either glucose or starch.

Keywords

Weaned pigletsCarbohydrate sourceGut morphology
Type
Research Article
Information
British Journal of Nutrition , Volume 90 , Issue 5 , November 2003 , pp. 907 - 913
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 2003

References

Bruininx, EMAM (2002) Individually measured feed intake characteristics in group-housed weanling pigs. PhD thesis, University of Utrecht, The Netherlands.Google Scholar
Centraal Veevoederbureau (2000) Chemical Composition, Digestibility and Feeding Value of Feedstuffs (in Dutch). Lelystad, The Netherlands: Centraal Veevoederbureau.Google Scholar
Darragh, AJ & Moughan, PJ (1998) The composition of colostrums and milk. In The Lactating Sow, pp. 3–21 [Verstegen, MWA, Moughan, PJ and Schram, JW, editors]. Wageningen, The Netherlands: Wageningen Pers.Google Scholar
Eckersall, PD, Saini, PK & McComb, C (1996) The acute phase response of acid soluble glycoprotein, α 1 -acid glucoprotein, ceruloplasmin, haptoglobin and C-reactive protein, in the pig. Vet Immunol Immunopathol 51, 377–385.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ewing, WN & Cole, DJA (1994) The Living Gut. Dungannon, UK: Context Publications.Google Scholar
Gruys, E, Toussaint, MJM, Landman, WJM, Tivapasi, M, Chamanza, R & Van Veen, L (1999) Infection, inflammation and stress inhibit growth. Mechanisms and non-specific assessment of the processes by acute phase proteins. In Production Diseases in Farm Animals, Proceedings of the 10th International Conference, pp. 72–84 [Wensing, Th, editor]. Wageningen, The Netherlands: Wageningen Pers.Google Scholar
Hampson, DJ (1986) Attempts to modify changes in the piglet small intestine after weaning. Res Vet Sci 40, 313–317.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hiss, S (2001) Entwicklung und Validierung von enzyimmunologischen Messverfahren zur Bestimmung von Haptoglobin bei verschiedenen Haustierspezies und erste Anwendungen in Pilotstudien (in German). PhD thesis, Hannover, Germany.Google Scholar
Hiss, S, Hennies, M, Gymnich, S, Petersen, B & Sauerwein, H (2001) Haptoglobin in pigs: development and validation of an enzyme immunoassay for various body fluids and establishment of physiological reference levels. In Production Diseases in Farm Animals, Proceedings of the 11th International Conference, p. 61 [Agger, JF, editor]. Frederiksberg, Denmark: Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University.Google Scholar
Jin, CF, Kim, JH, Moon, HK, Cho, WT, Han, YK & Han, IK (1998) Effects of various carbohydrate sources on the growth performance and nutrient utilization in pigs weaned at 21 days of age. Asian-Australas J Anim Sci 11, 285–292.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kamphues, J (1987) Untersuchungen zu Verdauungsvorgängen bei Absetzferkeln in Abhängigkeit von Futtermenge und –zubereitung sowie van Futterzusätzen (In German). PhD thesis, Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover, Germany.Google Scholar
Kelly, D, Smyth, JA & McCracken, KJ (1991) Digestive development of the early weaned pig; effect of level of food intake on digestive enzyme activity during the immediate post-weaning period. Br J Nutr 65, 181–188.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Knura, S, Lipperheide, C, Petersen, B & Wendt, M (2000) Impact of hygienic environment on haptoglobin concentration in pigs. In Proceedings of the 10th International Congress of Animal Hygiene, pp. 537–541 [Tielen, MJM and Voets, MTh, editor]. Maastricht, The Netherlands: International Society of Animal Hygiene.Google Scholar
Lee, CH, Han, YK, Lee, KU et al. (2000) Study on the nutritive value of dextrin as a carbohydrate source for pigs weaned at 21 days of age. J Anim Feed Sci 9, 647–663.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Leibbrandt, VD, Ewan, RC, Speer, VC & Zimmerman, DR (1975) Effect of weaning and age at weaning on baby pig performance. J Anim Sci 40, 1077–1080.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ly, J (1992) Studies of the digestibility of pigs fed dietary sucrose, fructose or glucose. Arch Anim Nutr 42, 1–9.Google ScholarPubMed
Makkink, CA (1993) Of piglets, dietary proteins and pancreatic proteases. PhD thesis, University of Wageningen, The Netherlands.Google Scholar
Mallet, RT, Jackson, MJ & Kelleher, JK (1986) Jejunal epithelial glucose metabolism: effects of Na + replacement. Am J Physiol 251, C191–C198.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mavromichalis, I, Hancock, JD, Hines, RH, Senne, BW & Cao, H (2001) Lactose, sucrose, and molasses in simple and complex diets for nursery pigs. Anim Feed Sci Technol 93, 127–135.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nabuurs, MJA (1991) Etiologic and pathogenic studies on postweaning diarrhea. PhD thesis, University of Utrecht, The Netherlands.Google Scholar
Nabuurs, MJA, Hoogendoorn, A, van der Molen, EJ & Van Osta, ALM (1993) Villus height and crypt dept in weaned and unweaned pigs, reared under various circumstances in the Netherlands. Res Vet Sci 55, 78–84.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
National Research Council (1998) Nutrient Requirements of Swine, 10th ed. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.Google Scholar
Okai, DB, Aherne, FX & Hardin, RT (1976) Effects of creep and starter composition on feed intake and performance of young pigs. Can J Anim Sci 56, 573–586.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pluske, JR, Williams, IH & Aherne, FX (1996) Villous height and crypt depth in piglets in response to increases in the intake of cows’ milk after weaning. Anim Sci 62, 145–158.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sakata, T (1987) Stimulatory effect of short-chain fatty acids on epithelial cell proliferation in the rat intestine: a possible explanation for trophic effects of fermentable fibre, gut microbes and luminal trophic factors. Br J Nutr 58, 95–103.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Spreeuwenberg, MAM, Verdonk, JMAJ, Gaskins, HR & Verstegen, MWA (2001) Small intestine epithelial barrier function is compromised in pigs with low feed intake at weaning. J Nutr 131, 1520–1527.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Spreeuwenberg, MAM, Verdonk, JMAJ, Verstegen, MWA & Beynen, AC (2002) The effect of carbohydrate source on intestinal morphology of weaned pigs. J Anim Sci 80, Suppl. 1, 152.Google Scholar
Van Beers-Schreurs, H (1996) The changes in the function of the large intestine of weaned pigs. PhD thesis, University of Utrecht, The Netherlands.Google Scholar
Van Dijk, A (2001) Spray-dried animal plasma in the diet of weanling piglets: influence on growth performance and underlying mechanisms. PhD thesis, University of Utrecht, The Netherlands.Google Scholar
Verdonk, JMAJ, Spreeuwenberg, MAM, Bakker, GCM & Verstegen, MWA (2001 a) Nutrient intake level affects histology and permeability of the small intestine in newly weaned piglets. In Digestive Physiology of Pigs, pp. 332–334 [Lindberg, JE and Ogle, B, editors]. Wallingford, UK: CABI Publishing.Google Scholar
Verdonk, JMAJ, Spreeuwenberg, MAM, Bakker, GCM & Verstegen, MWA (2001 b) Effect of protein source and feed intake level on the small intestine in newly weaned piglets. In Digestive Physiology of Pigs, pp, 347–349 [Lindberg, JE and Ogle, B, editors]. Wallingford, UK: CABI Publishing.Google Scholar
Veum, TL & Mateo, JP (1986) A review of the utilization of lactose, glucose, sucrose and cornstarch by neonatal piglets reared artificially. In Swine in Biomedical Research, pp 735–743 [Tumbleson, ME, editor]. New York: Plenum Press.Google Scholar
Weurding, RE, Veldman, A, Veen, WAG, van der Aar, PJ & Verstegen, MWA (2001) In vitro starch digestion correlates well with rate and extent of starch digestion in broiler chickens. J Nutr 131, 2336–2342.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Whitaker, JR (1994) Principles of Enzymology for the Food Sciences, 2nd ed., pp. 273–300New York: Marcel Dekker Inc.Google Scholar